Looking For Legends
by TheCompletlyAddictedBookworm
Summary: River comes across a story of an ancient warrior-sighted since the 14th century-known as the Demon of War. But as she and The Doctor investigate they find the 'demon' is far more human than one might think...
1. Prologue

**Welcome to my first (published) crossover fic Looking for Legends. No pairings outside canon (well maybe with a single exception), no slushy romance, no invading aliens. Just The Doctor, River and a search through time. Enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: Do not own APH. Do not own DW. Do not have any right writing River.**

The phone in the TARDIS rang insistently. The Doctor; repairing some wiring or other; ignored it, waiting for the answer phone to kick in. Strangely whoever was trying to contact him, instead of leaving a message, hung up then rang again. At this the Doctor sighed, put down his tools and bounced up the stairs to the phone. Well he _could_ let it ring but that would mean he was willing to let another ancient sight get graffitied. "Hello?" he asked, managing to sound both exhausted and curious at the same time.

"Hello Sweetie," promptly confirmed his suspicions.

"River! What is it this time?" he asked his mood lightening.

"Well Sweetie I've been reading through some old texts..."

"Old?"

"Some of them date back to the 13th Century. Anyway I came across something that seems impossible."

"And that is?"

"A story."

"Of what?"

"The Demon of War. The last sight to many. Those who saw him and lived never fought him directly."

"What's so impossible about that?"

"This 'demon' has been sighted over about 700 years- over that time he's only aged about 20 years."

"Well then Doctor Song a mystery awaits us and we must chase it. I'll be with you shortly."

And with that he hung up the phone and quickly set the coordinates and pulled down the handbrake, trusting the TARDIS to take him where he needed to be as she shot through the vortex.

-Doctor Who theme plays-

**Reviews are coveted.**


	2. Researching

**First chapter on the same day as the prologue. Blimey this plot bunny is stubborn. Standard Disclaimers apply etc. Enjoy!**

River Song was sitting in the Stormcage, her bed and the floor littered with papers and books. She was flicking through a heavy tome, scribbling notes about it after every few lines. Curiosity compelled her to flick through this one. A book of witness statements and rumours about this demon. Demon? No. Person. People called the Doctor a demon and he was not, so why was she allowed to judge someone she had never met.

Her thought train was interrupted by a heavy wheezing groan and temporal winds which create small tornados of paper. "Doctor." she said simply. He stuck his head out of the TARDIS and grinned, "I'm not late or for that matter early am I?"

"No Sweetie for once you seem to be exactly where and when you are needed."

"River she takes me where I need to be, which isn't always where I want to be."

"And you won't object because?"

"She's stubborn, temperamental and more often than not right."

At this River exhaled loudly and somewhat disbelievingly.

"Anyway back on to topic. What have you found out about this 'Demon of War'?"

"The Demon of War was first sighted in the 13th Century when he was found by the Knights of the Teutonic Order near their camp, wearing the uniform of their order. At this time he appeared about 5 or 6. When the order moved to Poland and conquered parts of it the child grew and took up residence in Konigsberg. In 1701 he appeared about 18. He continued to age until about 1871 when he stopped. Public sightings of him became more and more infrequent. In the 1930's he was seen among the 'Edelweiss Pirates' before they were arrested and killed. After that the last sighting was of him assisting in the destruction of the Berlin wall."

The Doctor pondered this for a minute before saying, "The best place to start would probably be around the time he was first seen... But something tells me he must not see us."

"The No Interference Rule? Since when did you follow that?"

"He's a child that takes 400 years to grow up. Before you disregard that remember your mother."

"Point taken."

"Right now Doctor Song, if you would step aboard, then we can be on our way."

"As you wish Sweetie."

The TARDIS wheezed and groaned out of the Stormcage. Just as the alarm went off. Really they would have to get used to it for River Song had no intention of staying cooped up all the time.

**And so the adventure (and my frantic research and plotting) begins. That said it's nice to be back writing stories. Maybe I'll even finish this one. Also to any APH fans I have a Pru/Can fantasy romance thing in the works if you'd like it. Reviews are very much appreciated particularly constructive ones. Thanks for reading this!**


	3. First Sighting 1210

**LOOK! A chapter. Also warning there is German (modern not the properly accurate archaic stuff on account you can find it nowhere.)**

**Disclaimer: **_**Insert standard, if a little mad disclaimer here.**_

1210. Europe. A field.

The TARDIS materialized so quietly that no one noticed. Well nearly no one, "River! If she didn't like going vworp then she would take the breaks off herself! The fact she doesn't means you shouldn't either!" River Song rolled her eyes and swung the scanner round to face her. "Right it appears we are in 1210 in a field in easternish Europe. DOCTOR!" The Doctor was at the doors and was in the process of opening them when she reached over and grabbed his shoulder. "Conspicuouscy." "Conspicuous- Oh yeah do not be seen. Blimey this is like Harry Potter." River rolled her eyes (again) and dragged him by the wrist to the wardrobe and to a long and married coupleish argument about being inconspicuous in the 13th century.

An hour or so later the pair emerged from the TARDIS dressed (roughly) as travellers from the period. Well if River going out dragging a sulking Timelord by the wrist counts as emerging but for the sake of this story, my sanity and your mental health let's say it does. Anyway story.

The first thing they saw was that the field they were in was almost deserted. Almost, apart from a collection of white tents a little way off and a small boy dressed in white waving a stick around as though it were a sword. Suddenly he turned around to face them, his eyes narrowed with suspicion, "Wer bist du? Und wo kommst du?" It took approximately 2 and a half seconds for the translation circuits to translate- something River blamed on the age of the machine and the Doctor blamed on the fact River had taken the brakes off. After the aforementioned 2 and a half seconds of flying turtles (mild awkwardness) The Doctor smiled and said, "I'm John and this is River and we're travellers."

"Pilger?"

"Umm sort of. Anyway who are you? You don't see many children around here, particularly not on their own."

"I'm Gilbert and I'm NOT alone, I live with them," he said, pointing to the tents.

"What about parents?"River asked this out of sheer curiosity, none of the records had ever said anything about parents. At this Gilbert shrugged and then started scanning the trees for something. "What are you looking for sweetie?" After all curiosity killed the cat and River was most definitely a cat. "Gilbird."

"Gilbird?"

"Ja. He's little und yellow und awesome und mine."

Oookay thought River well that puts an end to that conversation. Thankfully they were interrupted by a small chirp from behind her. The Doctor (who had been examining the trees curiously) looked round then his face broke out into a grin. A little yellow bird was sitting on a low branch looking warily at him and River. Slowly The Doctor stretched out a finger towards the bird only for it to flutter off and perch on top of Gilbert's head. "So that's Gilbird?"he asked simply.

"Ja. I found him a while ago und he was hurt so I looked after him until he was better dann he stayed mit mir."

"Why?" The question was out before River could stop it, though once it was she mentally slapped herself. He was a child not a heartless killing machine. Yet. But instead of being insulted or angry he simply tilted his head to one side and said, "Because that's what they teach me; Helfen, Wehren, Heilen. So I do so."

"They?" But her question wasn't answered as a man in similar clothes to Gilbert appeared from one of the tents and yelled for the boy. He simply turned to them, smiled and said, "Auf Wiedersehen", before running off. The Doctor and River stood motionless for minute before The Doctor grabbed River's hand and pulled her back into the TARDIS "Right where to next? Any when in the next few centauries! Providing it's not during a war..."

**Right, Phrase Guide. Ja is yes, Und is and, Wer bist du? Und wo kommst du? means who are you and where are you from?, Pilger means pilgrims, dann means then, mit mir is with me, Auf Widersehen (not spelt right I don't think) is goodbye and Helfen, Wehren, Heilen means help, defend, heal and it is (possibly was) the Teutonic Orders motto. **

**This chapter was written and completed with thanks to: QueenOfBeasts, Umahari Pumare and The Un-Awesome Me. Also the next chapter is going to be set in 1525. If you'd like one set before then please tell me. **

**Reviews are not required but appreciated.**


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